Home
by NyeThomas
Summary: Ginny Weasley has a hard time returning to life after the Battle. Things aren't turning out at all how she wants them. Harry is avoiding her, her family is grieving, and she hasn't the faintest clue where her life is headed. But through all of this, is Ginny able to find someplace she can truly call home?


I sat quietly on the train. It was quiet in our compartment. Who am I kidding, it was quiet on the entire train. The grief the battle caused over-flowed from the Great Hall to the train. I knew it would overflow to the Burrow as well. My throat constricted at the thought of having to return home. Home where Fred would never be again. Where Remus and Tonks would never be able to bring little Teddy. Where everything would be different.

I hadn't seen Harry, Ron or Hermione since the night after Voldemort had been killed. Harry and I had spoken for a few brief moments. He said he wouldn't be around the Burrow for a while. He said he was going to Australia with Hermione to find her parents. He said he loved me, but he didn't want to rush into a relationship. I could see the grief in his eyes, the guilt, the anger, and the pain, all of it manifested into tears he tried to force away. He tried to be strong for me.

He had leaned in for one last kiss. I remember my heart pounding and my skin tingling where his hands brushed. I was in heaven. For a few seconds I could pretend I hadn't lost my brother, I could pretend the past year hadn't happened, that Dumbledore was still at Hogwarts alive and well. Then it ended. He walked away, leaving a small teardrop on the ground.

I bit my lip at the memory. Luna, Neville, and Seamus all sat with me. Only the students that had been enrolled could ride the train back home. Professor McGonagall did this to keep track of the number of surviving students. I swallowed and tried not to cry. Fuck, it was hard.

Luna cleared her throat, looking at me with wide and concerned eyes. Out of all of us, Luna seemed the most unchanged by the war. She was the same quiet, observant, and horribly socially inept girl she'd always been. And I loved her dearly for it. I needed that stability from someone. Luna hadn't lost any family. That didn't prevent that haunted look I sometimes saw in her eyes when she gazed out the window.

Luna asked me if I planned on coming back to Hogwarts when it opened. I shrugged. Merlin knows how long it'll take for them to fix the school completely. It could take years, months, days. Hell, they might decide to preserve the battlegrounds and build a new school somewhere else.

She said she and her father were going to take a trip around the world, searching for new creatures with a friend of her father's and his son. Neville was going on a trip with an Herbologist group to South America. Seamus was going back to Ireland and wasn't sure what to do after that. I felt his pain. I wanted to be reckless for the first time in years. I wanted to play Quidditch or join an all-witch band or maybe even go with Luna. I didn't want to go home and do nothing. Oddly enough, that was the thing I had decided to do.

We were all quiet as the train pulled up to Platform 9¾ . I took in a very deep breath as I grabbed my trunk and stepped out. It was nearly as quiet outside as it had been on the train. I walked around with a trunk for a few minutes. Suddenly, there was a massive blob of fire-red hair. It was strange to see them without warning like that. Usually, I could hear my family long before I could see them.

Mum rushed over to me and pulled me into the warmest hug I'd had in ages. I sighed as I breathed in her familiar smell. She smelled like warm bread and fire. She smelled like home. Dad walked over next, with a smile and he hugged me just as hard as Mum had. I noticed they both had lost quite a bit of weight. Percy hugged me next. His glasses smashed gently into my hair as he squeezed me tightly. He smiled at me sadly as he stepped back.

Bill and Fleur were up next. Fleur whispered to me in French and Bill just held me. I missed him as I hadn't really seen him since just after the wedding. Charlie picked me up and swung me around. I smiled at his gentle humor. He set me down as Ron walked up. He held an arm out awkwardly. I couldn't help my grin as I ran into his arms. As idiotic as he was, he was my closest sibling and that bonded us in a way it didn't bond me with the others. Plus, I was just happy to see him safe after worrying about him all year. I let go of Ron to look for the rest of my family.

I turned to ask Mum where the twins were and managed to catch myself before Fred's name slipped from my lips. Mum told me George was back at his flat in Diagon Alley. He rarely left the place anymore. I nodded slowly and bit my lip gently. We left quietly, all thinking of the name that had almost come from my mouth.

We arrived at the Burrow not much later. It looked the same as it always had. It still leaned to one side and had smoke coming from it, even though there was no fire. The gnomes still ran rampant through the yard and one bit my free hand before I managed to curse it. Dad opened the front door and I was greeted by the same smell as always: food. Mum rushed to the kitchen and went to finish preparing lunch.

Ron went outside and I heard a faint pop as he Disapperated. I walked to my room and sat on my bed. I didn't realize I was crying until I felt a damp spot on the knee on my pants. I wiped my eyes and sniffed a little. My door opened and I froze. There was no noise but I refused to turn around and acknowledge the fact that I had succumb to weakness yet again. My bed squeaked as weight was added to my bed. A strong pair of arms hugged me from the side. That's what broke me completely.

I sobbed onto George's shoulder for few minutes, shaking the bed and both of our bodies. He stroked my hair and rocked me. Not once did he tell me it was okay. Because it wasn't. Nothing was okay. The house may look and smell the same. But George and I both knew it wasn't home. Not anymore. I knew why he refused to come back. As soon as I had the chance, I was leaving too.

The tears stopped flowing suddenly. I was all cried out. I was a good thing because my throat was starting to hurt. George patted my back and kissed my forehead. He whispered that he understood and I could come live with him if I wanted. I allowed a small smile and nodded. He stood and left the room without another room.

George looked different. His deep blue eyes that had glowed with life and happiness were now dull and depressed. He had lost a ridiculous amount of weight; I probably had ridden brooms heavier than him. His face was thin and haggard. He had thick red hair growing sporadically all over his face. My poor brother.

Mum called me down for lunch and I was greeted by a mass of brown hair. Hermione flew at me and squeezed me. I could barely breathe. But I hugged her back just as hard. My best friend was here. I hadn't realized how much I missed her. She gave me a small smile as we sat down together. It wasn't until I reached across the table to grab some salt that I saw Harry.

He was looking intently at his plate and pushing his food around. Harry looked thin as well. He looked well, though. His eyes were not as vibrant as I'd remembered but they were still the deep forest green that had looked upon me with love. Damn, I'd missed him. I drank him as I ate a tiny bit of my food. There was quiet, trivial chatter around the table. Weather, Quidditch, and some new Magical Creature reform were all topics of interest today. I didn't speak. I absorbed the sound of their voices. The only thing missing was the laughter. None of the usual joy or giggling was present.

We all helped clean up from lunch and went outside. All of the guys went in one direction while Hermione and I sat on the hill overlooking the countryside. I suggested walking to Luna's. We stood up and I turned to grab my wand when black hair caught my eye. Hermione quickly dismissed herself and left me with Harry.

I looked him in his eyes. Everything shifted. His eyes lost their despondence and his mouth opened to speak. He didn't get to say a word before I rushed to him. He clung tightly to me. I breathed in his scent and was shocked that tears were creeping down my face. I didn't know I had tears left. Harry looked me in the eyes and I saw he was crying, too.

"I love you."

We whispered those words simultaneously. That was the moment I knew. No matter what changes life had offered us, we had each other. We had love. In his arms, I was safe. With Harry, I was home.


End file.
